THE INSIDER AUTHORITY ON GATOR SPORTS

Jenkins 100% a Florida Gator

The mind of 17 year old football prospects can do many crazy things when the media and big time programs come calling. The recruiting stories over the years of kids jumping from one school to the next as oral commitments are legion. That is why it wasn’t too hard to believe that Pahokee (FL) cornerback Janoris Jenkins might be wavering a bit on his commitment to the Florida Gators. Nonetheless, Jenkins has a message for all the Gator fans out there after his in-home visit with Florida head Coach Urban Meyer tonight. He says he will be doing the chomp for the next four years or so.

Meyer made his scheduled visit at Jenkins’ home with him and his parents and he answered every question from the big time cornerback. Jenkins, who will be playing in the Under-Armor, ESPNU All-American game, needs to get everything straight quickly as he will enroll in college two days after the game.

“He was just telling me about the academic programs again and how the academics worked,” Jenkins said of Meyer’s main objective on the trip. “They made sure I had all my paperwork in and ready to come in January. My mom and dad were excited. He spoke to them on a couple of things and how great the program is.”

Jenkins has had an issue with the fact that two Florida players seemed to be getting all the press this year and the team has been left behind. Quarterback Tim Tebow is up for the Heisman award after doing things no other quarterback in the history of college football has done. Wide receiver Percy Harvin has been a menace to defensive coordinators and is currently breaking records of his own. Despite these accomplishments, Meyer has downplayed the personal awards for more team thinking and he made sure that Jenkins understood that.

“It got cleared up, I had a little bit of an issue about Tebow and Harvin getting all the glory and not the team,” Jenkins said. “But, they sat down and talked to me and cleared it up.”

With that in mind, Jenkins had one thing to say to all the fans out there that have been hysterical for the last day and a half about his so-called wavering.

“I am 100% Gator,” he said emphatically. “I am going to visit Gainesville on December 14-15 with my mom, my dad, and my girlfriend. That is the only visit I will take from here on out.”

Anyone who watched the Gators close this year could see that one position of need with quality and depth was at cornerback. Jenkins should provide that and a classmate of his that keeps in touch will also be a big part of the equation next year. The two keep in touch regularly.

“I talked to Jeremy Brown on Wednesday, he was just talking to me about my season,” Jenkins said. “He heard we were balling and told me to keep it up.”

Janoris Jenkins is a big part of what the Gators want to accomplish in the class of 2008. He is a great physical talent at the cornerback position and just what the coaching staff loves to recruit at that position. He will look good in Orange and Blue.

The mind of 17 year old football prospects can do many crazy things when the media and big time programs come calling. The recruiting stories over the years of kids jumping from one school to the next as oral commitments are legion. That is why it wasn’t too hard to believe that Pahokee (FL) cornerback Janoris Jenkins might be wavering a bit on his commitment to the Florida Gators. Nonetheless, Jenkins has a message for all the Gator fans out there after his in-home visit with Florida head Coach Urban Meyer tonight. He says he will be doing the chomp for the next four years or so.

Meyer made his scheduled visit at Jenkins’ home with him and his parents and he answered every question from the big time cornerback. Jenkins, who will be playing in the Under-Armor, ESPNU All-American game, needs to get everything straight quickly as he will enroll in college two days after the game.

“He was just telling me about the academic programs again and how the academics worked,” Jenkins said of Meyer’s main objective on the trip. “They made sure I had all my paperwork in and ready to come in January. My mom and dad were excited. He spoke to them on a couple of things and how great the program is.”

Jenkins has had an issue with the fact that two Florida players seemed to be getting all the press this year and the team has been left behind. Quarterback Tim Tebow is up for the Heisman award after doing things no other quarterback in the history of college football has done. Wide receiver Percy Harvin has been a menace to defensive coordinators and is currently breaking records of his own. Despite these accomplishments, Meyer has downplayed the personal awards for more team thinking and he made sure that Jenkins understood that.

“It got cleared up, I had a little bit of an issue about Tebow and Harvin getting all the glory and not the team,” Jenkins said. “But, they sat down and talked to me and cleared it up.”

With that in mind, Jenkins had one thing to say to all the fans out there that have been hysterical for the last day and a half about his so-called wavering.

“I am 100% Gator,” he said emphatically. “I am going to visit Gainesville on December 14-15 with my mom, my dad, and my girlfriend. That is the only visit I will take from here on out.”

Anyone who watched the Gators close this year could see that one position of need with quality and depth was at cornerback. Jenkins should provide that and a classmate of his that keeps in touch will also be a big part of the equation next year. The two keep in touch regularly.

“I talked to Jeremy Brown on Wednesday, he was just talking to me about my season,” Jenkins said. “He heard we were balling and told me to keep it up.”

Janoris Jenkins is a big part of what the Gators want to accomplish in the class of 2008. He is a great physical talent at the cornerback position and just what the coaching staff loves to recruit at that position. He will look good in Orange and Blue.